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The correct answer is Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve.

Key Points

• Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve:
• In 2018, the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve became the 11^th Biosphere Reserve from India that has been included in the UNESCO designated World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR). Hence statement 1 is correct.
• The decision to include Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in WNBR was taken at the 30^th Session of the International Coordinating Council (ICC) of Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO
• Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in Sikkim is one of the highest ecosystems in the world, reaching elevations of 1,220 meters above sea level.
• It includes a range of ecolines, varying from sub-tropic to the Arctic, as well as natural forests in different biomes, that support an immensely rich diversity of forest types and habitats.
• The core zone – Khangchendzonga National Park was designated a World Heritage Site in 2016 under the ‘mixed’ category.

Additional Information

• India has 18 Biosphere Reserves and with the inclusion of Khangchendzonga, the number of internationally designated World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) has become 12, with 6 Biosphere Reserves being domestic Biosphere Reserves.
• Internationally designated Biosphere Reserves in India and the year of their inclusion are:
• Nilgiri, 2000
• Gulf of Mannar, 2001
• Sunderban, 2001
• Nanda Devi, 2004
• Nokrek, 2009
• Pachmarhi, 2009
• Similipal, 2009
• Achanakmar-Amarkantak, 2012
• Great Nicobar, 2013
• Agasthyamala, 2016
• Khangchendzonga, 2018
• Panna biosphere reserve, 2020
• The World network of biosphere reserves is part of the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Project.
• Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an intergovernmental scientific program, launched in 1971 by UNESCO.
• The World Network of Biosphere Reserves currently counts 714 sites in 129 countries all over the world, including 21 transboundary sites.
• The main objective of the Man and the Biosphere Programme is:-
• To identify and assess the changes in the biosphere resulting from human and natural activities and the effects of these changes on humans and the environment, in particular in the context of climate change.
• To study and compare the dynamic interrelationships between natural/near-natural ecosystems and socio-economic processes, in particular in the context of the accelerated loss of biological and cultural diversity with unexpected consequences that impact the ability of ecosystems to continue to provide services critical for human well-being.
• To ensure basic human welfare and a liveable environment in the context of rapid urbanization and energy consumption as drivers of environmental change.
• To promote the exchange and transfer of knowledge on environmental problems and solutions, and to foster environmental education for sustainable development.

The correct answer is A, B, C and D are correct

Key Points

• There are four major types of coal:

• Anthracite: The highest rank of coal. It is a hard, brittle, and black lustrous coal, often referred to as hard coal, containing a high percentage of fixed carbon and a low percentage of volatile matter. Hence, statement A is correct.

• Bituminous:

• Bituminous coal also called soft coal is middle-rank coal between sub-bituminous and anthracite. Hence, statement C is correct.

• It is the most abundant type and one of the longest buried fossil fuels—with an age of approximately 300 million years old.

• The high carbon and low moisture content of this particular type of coal make it ideal in the production of steel and cement, as well as in electricity generation and coke production. Hence, statement D is correct.

• It is the most popular coal used for metallurgy. Hence, statement B is correct.

• Subbituminous: Subbituminous coal is black in color and is mainly dull (not shiny). Subbituminous coal has low-to-moderate heating values and is mainly used in electricity generation.

• Lignite: Lignite coal, also known as brown coal, is the lowest grade coal with the least concentration of carbon. Lignite has a low heating value and a high moisture content and is mainly used in electricity generation.

• Coal is the most abundantly found fossil fuel.

• It is used as a domestic fuel, in industries such as iron and steel, steam engines and to generate electricity. Electricity from coal is called thermal power.

• The coal which we are using today was formed millions of years ago when giant ferns and swamps got buried under the layers of earth. Coal is therefore referred to as Buried Sunshine.

• The leading coal producers of the world are China, the USA, Germany, Russia, South Africa, and France. The coal-producing areas of India are Raniganj, Jharia, Dhanbad, and Bokaro in Jharkhand.

The correct answer is S. R. Rao.

Key Points

• Dr. Shikaripur Ranganatha Rao (1^st July,1922-January 3, 2013) was a scientist and a former Director of the Archaeological Survey of India.
• Among his projects, two excavations have received much attention. The first was at Lothal in present-day Gujarat which is considered a port from the Harappan civilization and the second was at Bet Dwaraka (also in present-day Gujarat) wherein Rao unearthed what he claimed were parts of a submerged city that was built by Krishna from the Mahabharata.
• Dr. S. R.Rao excavated about fifty Harappan, Late Harappan, and Post Harappan sites in India.
• He opined that ‘Indus Valley cities received the gold from Kolar and Hatti gold mines’

Important Points

• Indus Valley Civilisation is the earliest known urban culture of the Indian subcontinent.
• The nuclear dates of the civilization appear to be about 2500-1700 BCE, though the southern sites may have lasted later into the 2^nd millennium BCE.
• The civilization was first identified in 1921 at Harappa in the Punjab region and then in 1922 at Mohenjo-Daro (Mohenjodaro), near the Indus River in the Sindh (Sind) region.

The correct answer is Directive Principles of State Policy.

Key Points

• The Directive Principles of State Policy are enumerated in Part IV of the Constitution from Articles 36 to 51.
• The framers of the Constitution borrowed this idea from the Irish Constitution of 1937, which had copied it from the Spanish Constitution.
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar described these principles as ‘novel features’ of the Indian Constitution.
• The Directive Principles along with the Fundamental Rights contain the philosophy of the Constitution and are the soul of the Constitution.
• Granville Austin has described the Directive Principles and the Fundamental Rights as the ‘Conscience of the Constitution.

Important Points

• Directive Principles of State Policy as mentioned in the constitution:

The correct answer is All of the above.

Important Points

• United Nations' Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem (IBPES) Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services:
• It is the most comprehensive report ever completed, Compiled by 145 expert authors from 50 countries over the past three years, with inputs from another 310 contributing authors, the Report assesses changes over the past five decades, providing a comprehensive picture of the relationship between economic development pathways and their impacts on nature.
• Key Findings of the report:-
• The report finds that around 1 million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction, many within decades, more than ever before in human history.
• 75%: terrestrial environment “severely altered” to date by human actions (marine environments 66%)
• Less than 85% of wetlands present in 1700 had been lost by 2000 – loss of wetlands is currently three times faster, in percentage terms than forest loss.
• Climate change and rising sea levels eventually may wipe out one of the world’s last and largest tiger strongholds. Hence, statement A is correct.
• Less than 500,000 (+/-9%) share of the world’s estimated 5.9 million terrestrial species with insufficient habitat for long-term survival without habitat restoration.
• 25%: average proportion of species threatened with extinction across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine vertebrate, invertebrate, and plant groups that have been studied in sufficient detail.
• 30%: reduction in global terrestrial habitat integrity caused by habitat loss and deterioration.
• The cats are among 5,00,000 land species where survival is in question because of threats to their natural habitats. Hence, statement C is correct.

Additional Information

• The Sundarbans mangrove forest, the largest of such forests in the world (10,000 square kilometers), lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal.
• The area is known for its wide range of fauna, including 260 bird species, the Bengal tiger, and other threatened species such as the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python. Hence, statement B is correct.

The correct answer is March 1992

Key Points

• The Indian government introduced the Liberalised Exchange Rate Management System (LERMS) in March 1992.
• The new system was announced by Manmohan Singh in the 1992 budget and, in early March, by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• This was the initial step to enable a transition to a market-determined exchange rate system.
• It opened up the way for exporters to realize 60% of their proceeds or earnings at the market rate while surrendering the rest at the official rate.
• In other words, India moved from a fixed to a dual exchange rate system.
• Foreign exchange surrendered at the official rate was made available for importing essential items or products, including petroleum, fertilizers, and life-saving drugs.

Important Points

• An exchange rate is the value of one nation's currency versus the currency of another nation or economic zone.
• Exchange rates can be either fixed or floating.
• Fixed exchange rates are decided by the central banks of a country whereas floating exchange rates are decided by the mechanism of market demand and supply.

The correct answer is 2016 - National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) - Union Minister of Jal Shakti.

Key Points

• National Ganga River Basin Authority(NGRBA) was constituted under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986.
• NGRBA has since been dissolved with effect from the 7^th October 2016, consequent to the constitution of the National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection, and Management of River Ganga (referred to as National Ganga Council). Hence, option 3 is correct.
• The Prime Minister is the ex-officio Chairperson for the National Ganga Council.

Important Points

• The Empowered Task Force (ETF) on the River Ganga was constituted by the government of India in 2016.
• It is under the chairmanship of the erstwhile Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (now union minister of Jal shakti). Hence, option 3 is correct.
• It consists of the Secretary of concerned Ministries and Chief Secretary of State and CEO, NITI Aayog.

The correct answer is Dr. A. S. Altekar.

Key Points

• Dr. A.S. Altekar (24 September 1898 - 25 November 1960) was a historian, archaeologist, and numismatist from Maharashtra, India.
• He was the head of the Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi.
• In his book 'Rashtrakuṭas and their times' he argued that Rastrakutas were of Kannada origin, contrary to the argument that Rastrakutas were of Maharashtrian or Telugu origin.
• He also wrote a book named The Vakataka-Gupta Age.

Important Points

• The Rashtrakuta Dynasty ruled parts of South India from the 8^th to the 10^th century CE.
• At its zenith, their kingdom included the modern state of Karnataka in its entirety along with parts of the current Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.
• Dantidurga (735–756 AD) is considered the founder of the Rashtrakuta Empire of Manyakheta.

The correct answer is Both A and B are correct.

Key Points

• Population structure refers to the number of females and males in different age groups. Hence statement A is correct.
• A population pyramid is used to show the age-sex structure of the population. Hence statement B is correct.
• The shape of the population pyramid reflects the characteristics of the population.
• In a population pyramid, the size of the population under investigation is depicted on the horizontal axis, and age is aligned on the vertical axis.
• The result is a series of bars stacked on top of one another, each representing an age category, with the youngest age group represented by the bottom bar and the oldest age group by the uppermost bar.

Additional Information

Age Structure:

• Age structure represents the number of people of different age groups.
• This is an important indicator of population composition since a large size of the population in the age group of 15- 59 indicates a large working population.
• A greater proportion of the population above 60 years represents an aging population that requires more expenditure on health care facilities.
• Similarly, a high proportion of the young population would mean that the region has a high birth rate and the population is youthful.

The correct answer is Madakari Nayaka V.

Key Points

• Madakari Nayaka V was the son of Bharamappa Nayaka of Janakal Durga and succeeded Kasturi Rangappa Nayaka as the ruler of Chitradurga in 1754.
• Chitradurga at that time was caught between two major powers like Mysore under Hyder Ali and the Marathas.
• In 1762 after subduing the palegars of Rayadurga and Harapanahalli, Hyder Ali asked Madakari Nayaka to submit.
• When Madakari Nayaka procrastinated, Hyder’s cavalry overran the whole principality of Chitradurga, and Madakari was forced to compromise.
• Madakari Nayaka V joined Maratha Peshwa Madhav Rao in the battle of Annavati and defeated the Mysore force led by Hyder Ali. But the Hyder Ali attacked and defeated Chitradurga.
• King Madakari Nayaka V was imprisoned in Srirangapatna in 1779 AD.

Important Points

• Hyder Ali was the ruler of Mysore princely state and military commander who played an important part in the wars in southern India in the mid-18^th century.
• In a series of wars involving the British with some French assistance, the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad he gained and lost territory.
• He was succeeded by his son Tipu Sultan.